THE NUMERAL
1.1. The forms of the cardinal numeral
one 11 eleven 21 twenty-one
two 12 twelve 22 twenty-two
three 13 thirteen 23 twenty-three
four 14 fourteen 30 thirty
five 15 fifteen 40 forty
six 16 sixteen 50 fifty
seven 17 seventeen 60 sixty
eight 18 eighteen 70 seventy
nine 19 nineteen 80 eighty
ten 20 twenty 90 ninety
a (one) hundred
a (one) hundred and six
six hundred and twenty-one
a (one) thousand
three thousand seven hundred and forty-nine
a (one) million
a(one) billion
Uses of the cardinal numeral
The numerals hundred and thousand do not take the plural: 400 people - four hundred people; they are used in the plural when they function as nouns, or when followed by the preposition of: Hundreds have protested against it; Thousands of people sent letters. Million may take the plural with the preposition of, or when no other numeral follows: two millions of dollars; The painting was sold for three millions.
When used in the plural, the tens refer to years of life or of a century: This book was written in the twenties (1920 - 1929); He was a strong healthy man in his fifties (50 - 59).
2.1. The forms of the ordinal numeral
1st the first 11th the eleventh
2nd the second 12th the twelfth
3rd the third 13th the thirteenth
4th the fourth 14th the fourteenth
5th the fifth 15th the fifteenth
6th the sixth 16th the sixteenth
7th the seventh 17th the seventeenth
8th the eighth 18th the eighteenth
9th the ninth 19th the nineteenth
10th the tenth 20th the twentieth
21st the twenty-first 100th the (one) hundredth
22nd the twenty-second 106th the (one) hundred and sixth
23rd the twenty-third 621st the (one) hundred and twenty-first
30th the thirtieth 1,000th the (one) thousandth
40th the fortieth 1,000,000th the (one) millionth
50th the fiftieth
60th the sixtieth
70th the seventieth
80th the eightieth
90th the ninetieth
2.2 Uses of the ordinal numeral
It shows the order of persons, things, of actions in time and space:
I
was born on
My flat is on the sixth floor.
What is the second largest city
in
Richard III (the Third) lived in the 15th (fifteenth) century.
The First World War started in 1914.(WWI)
The hero dies in the fourth act.
NOTE: The cardinal numerals are used in: Act IV (four), Scene I (one), World War I (one), Lesson 6 (six), Chapter 11 (eleven), Flat 23 (twenty-three), etc.
3.1. The forms of the fractional numeral
a) common fractions:
1/2 a (one) half 1/4 a (one) fourth
2/3 two thirds 3/5 three fifths
7 5/6 seven and five sixths
b) decimal fractions:
35.89 thirty-five point eight nine
0.03 (nought) point nought three
3.2. Uses of the fractional numeral
It indicates one or several parts of a whole:
They stayed here (for) half an hour/a half hour.
The play lasted one and half hours/an hour and a half.
Only a tenth of the population voted against the government.
4.1. The forms of the multiplicative numeral
1 single, once
2 double/twofold, twice, two times
3 triple (treble)/threefold, three times
4 fourfold, four times
10 tenfold, en times
a hundredfold, a hundred times.
4.2. Uses of the multiplicative numeral
It shows the proportion in which a quantity or an action increases:
I've been here only once or twice.
Many things now cost a hundred times what they did a few years ago.
The Pope wears a triple crown.
Mathematical operations:
plus
minus
x multiplied by
divided by
EXERCISES
I. Read the following numbers:
II. Read the following fractions:
III. Read the following dates:
21 May 1984 (the twenty-first of May, nineteen eighty-four)
IV. Read the following phone numbers:
118605 (double one eight six O [ou] five)
255799 (two five five seven double nine)
V. Read the following times of the clock:
VI. Translate into English:
1. I-am scris de trei ori pâna acum, dar înca nu mi-a raspuns. 2. Venus este mai aproape de Soare decât Pamântul, iar lumina solara care ajunge la Venus este de doua ori mai intensa decât cea care ajunge la Pamânt. 3. Zeci de mii de microbisti au urmarit meciul de ieri. 4. Phileas Fogg era sigur ca va putea înconjura pamântul în numai optzeci de zile. 5. În decursul anilor 80 guvernul doamnei Thatcher a refuzat sa sprijine industriile vechi si neprofitabile. 6. Programul incepe la 8 dimineata si se termina la 6 seara.
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